System and Method for Processing and Forwarding Transmitted Information

Abstract

A system and method for handling a digital electronic flow between a first and second entity in which a flow policy is determined that is to be applied to the flow and the flow is then directed along a path in accordance with the policy. An ID is supplied for each flow and a tag associated with each flow which indicates the policy to be applied to its associated flow. Flows are also associated with one another, with associated flows having associated policies. In particular the flow may be processed or forwarded. The path may include a graph structure and virtual applications.

1 . A system for handling a digital electronic flow between a first entity and a second entity, which includes
 a flow policy determining means for determining the policy to be applied to the flow; and   a directing means for directing the flow along a determined path in accordance with the relevant flow policy.   
     
     
         2 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , which includes a flow ID supplying and identifying means for initially supplying an ID for each new flow from the first entity and for subsequently identifying the ID of an existing flow. 
     
     
         3 . The system claimed in  claim 2 , in which the flow policy determining means provides a policy tag for each flow, the tag being associated with the ID of that flow, and the tag indicating the policy to be applied to that flow. 
     
     
         4 . The system claimed in  claim 1 , which includes at least one processing means that may be included in the path. 
     
     
         5 . The system claimed in  claim 1 , which includes at least one forwarding means that may be included in the path. 
     
     
         6 . The system claimed in  claim 3 , in which the flow policy determining means varies the policy applied to a flow during its lifetime. 
     
     
         7 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , which includes an association determining means for determining if a first flow is to be associated with a second flow and for applying associated flow policies to associated flows. 
     
     
         8 . The system claimed in  claim 1 , in which the flow policy determining means determines the flow policy to be applied to a flow when the flow is first received. 
     
     
         9 . The system claimed in  claim 4 , in which the processing means includes at least one component selected from the group comprising a graph structure, a processor, a memory, a virtual machine, and an application. 
     
     
         10 . The system claimed in  claim 9 , in which the application is an application running in kernel mode in a virtual machine or an application running in user mode in a virtual machine, 
     
     
         11 . The system claimed in  claim 5 , in which the forwarding means includes at least one component selected from the group comprising a graph structure, a network interface, a communication interface, a virtual switch, a virtual network interface and a virtual stream interface. 
     
     
         12 . The system claimed in  claim 1 , in which the directing means directs the flow along a path that includes a flexible graph structure. 
     
     
         13 . The system claimed in  claim 1 , which includes a processor having an operating system with at least one real time processing function, and an application hosted within a kernel of the operating system or a user space of the operating system, and in which the directing means directs at least a part of the flow along a path that includes the application. 
     
     
         14 . The system claimed in  claim 1 , in which the directing means directs the flow along a path that includes a plurality of entities selected from the group of a processing means and a forwarding means where the entities are connected in parallel, in series, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The system claimed in  claim 1 , in which the directing means directs the flow along a path that includes internal and/or external components. 
     
     
         16 . The system claimed in  claim 6 , in which the flow policy determining means is responsive to an application. 
     
     
         17 . The system claimed in  claim 1 , in which the flow policy determining means determines different flow policies for forward and return portions of a flow. 
     
     
         18 . The system claimed in  claim 1 , in which the flow policy determining means determines the flow policy for a flow in accordance with criteria selected from the group comprising memory usage, network bandwidth use, power dissipation, feedback from guest operating systems in virtual machines, feedback from applications, feedback from a processing means, and feedback from a forwarding means. 
     
     
         19 . The system claimed in  claim 1 , in which the flow policy determining means determines the flow policy for a flow in accordance with criteria selected from the group comprising fields in packet headers; data in packet payloads; and protocols and sets of protocols. 
     
     
         20 . The system claimed in  claim 7 , in which the association determining means associates flows in accordance with criteria selected from the group comprising flows from a specific type of application; flows which use a specified protocol; flows which use a sub-protocol at a specified layer of the relevant protocol hierarchy; specified patterns in a specified part of traffic; flows associated with a specified set of communicating entities; flows from a contained path; and flows from specified links, networks and network interfaces. 
     
     
         21 . The system claimed in  claim 12 , in which the graph structure is composed of any combination selected from the group comprising a processing means; a forwarding means; and sub-graph structures. 
     
     
         22 . A method of handling a digital electronic flow between a first entity and a second entity, which includes
 determining a policy to be applied to a flow; and   directing the flow along a determined path in accordance with the relevant flow policy.   
     
     
         23 . The method as claimed in  claim 22 , which includes initially supplying an ID for each new flow from the first entity and subsequently identifying the ID of an existing flow. 
     
     
         24 . The method claimed in  claim 23 , which includes providing a policy tag for each flow and associating the tag with the ID of that flow, the tag indicating the policy to be applied to that flow. 
     
     
         25 . The method claimed in  claim 22 , which includes including at least one processing means in the path. 
     
     
         26 . The method claimed in  claim 22 , which includes including at least one forwarding means in the path. 
     
     
         27 . The method claimed in  claim 24 , in which the flow policy applied to a flow is varied during its lifetime. 
     
     
         28 . The method claimed in  claim 22 , which includes determining if a first flow is to be associated with a second flow and applying associated flow policies to associated flows. 
     
     
         29 . The method claimed in  claim 22 , in which the flow policy to be applied to a flow is determined when the flow is first received. 
     
     
         30 . The method claimed in  claim 25 , in which the processing means includes at least one component selected from the group comprising a graph structure, a processor, a memory, a virtual machine, and an application. 
     
     
         31 . The method claimed in  claim 30 , in which the application is an application running in kernel mode in a virtual machine or an application running in user mode in a virtual machine, 
     
     
         32 . The method claimed in  claim 26 , in which the forwarding means includes at least one component selected from the group comprising a graph structure, a network interface, a communication interface, a virtual switch, a virtual network interface and a virtual stream interface. 
     
     
         33 . The method claimed in  claim 22 , in which the flow is directed along a path that includes a flexible graph structure. 
     
     
         34 . The method claimed in  claim 22 , in which at least a part of the flow is directed along a path that includes an application hosted within a kernel or a user space of an operating system having at least one real time processing function. 
     
     
         35 . The method claimed in  claim 22 , in which the flow is directed along a path that includes a plurality of entities selected from the group of a processing means and a forwarding means where the entities are connected in parallel, in series, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         36 . The method claimed in  claim 22 , in which the flow is directed along a path that includes internal and/or external components. 
     
     
         37 . The method claimed in  claim 27 , in which the flow policy is determined in response to an application. 
     
     
         38 . The method claimed in  claim 1 , in which the flow policy is different for forward and return portions of a flow. 
     
     
         39 . The method claimed in  claim 22 , in which the flow policy for a flow is determined in accordance with criteria selected from the group comprising memory usage, network bandwidth use, power dissipation, feedback from guest operating systems in virtual machines, feedback from applications, feedback from a processing means, and feedback from a forwarding means. 
     
     
         40 . The method claimed in  claim 22 , in which the flow policy for a flow is determined in accordance with criteria selected from the group comprising fields in packet headers; data in packet payloads; and protocols and sets of protocols. 
     
     
         41 . The method claimed in  claim 28 , in flows are associated in accordance with criteria selected from the group comprising flows from a specific type of application; flows which use a specified protocol; flows which use a sub-protocol at a specified layer of the relevant protocol hierarchy; specified patterns in a specified part of traffic; flows associated with a specified set of communicating entities; flows from a contained path; and flows from specified links, networks and network interfaces. 
     
     
         42 . The method claimed in  claim 33 , in which the graph structure is composed of any combination selected from the group comprising a processing means; a forwarding means; and sub-graph structures.